Road Test: 2018 Land Rover Discovery HSE Luxury

Specifications:

Price: $77,100 (As tested)

Engine: 3.0L DOHC 24-valve turbodiesel V6

Trans: 8-speed auto

Power: 254 hp@ 3,750 rpm

Torque: 443 lb-ft @ 1,750-2,250 rpm

Curb Weight: 4,916 lbs./ 2,229 kg

Fuel Consumption: (L/100km – City/Hwy) 8.3/6.5

New for 2018: The Land Rover Discovery remains relatively unchanged for 2018 after a complete redesign for 2017. A 10-in. touchscreen with Jaguar Land Rover’s InControl Pro infotainment system is now standard.

Segment Competitors: Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne, BMW X5, Volvo XC90, Acura MDX, Buick Enclave, Infiniti QX60, Lexus GX, Lincoln MKT, Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

The Skinny: The 2018 Land Rover Discovery is a truly luxurious SUV that is every bit as versatile as it is fancy. The large SUV boasts a high end exterior look and features just about every bell and whistle you can think of inside such as heated and ventilated seats, tri-zone climate control, a premium 14-speaker audio system and 16-way power front seats. To contrast this the Discovery is still extremely capable off-road by all accounts,  despite moving to a unibody platform in 2017, which should come as no surprise due to LR’s long standing history of off-road capable vehicles. This leads to the rare combination on-road performance, luxury, and capability not often seen in the industry.

Pros: Despite the large overall size of the Discovery, I have to say that it does not feel like that at all when behind the wheel even in tight parking lots. Also love the acceleration produced by the turbodiesel V6.

Cons: Have to be honest and say that I’m not that big a fan of the Discovery’s new looks, especially in the rear.

The Verdict: The Land Rover badge is always going to carry with it a sense of luxury and off-road capability thanks to many many years of producing vehicles that are just that. This newest version of the Discovery certainly doesn’t stray too far from that notion and although it to has moved to a more modern design and structure, the prowess built from years gone by has definitely not been lost.